OK, so I know that nicotine has been discussed on this forum numerous times but I figured I’d throw out my research/experience.

I was diagnosed with UC about 3.5 months ago now. Basically went from perfectly healthy to 20+ bloody bowel movements a day within a 2 week period. Had a colonoscopy, doctor prescribed 4 a day of Lialda, and I started the SCD diet and some supplements, that combination had me back to mostly normal within 2 weeks (probably mostly due to the Lialda). After 3 months, and with no changes being made, I started to deteriorate again. This deterioration continued consistently for the next 2.5 weeks until it got to the point where I called my GI doctor. He wanted to put me on prednisone, I’m adamant against that and suggested Rowasa, which he was cool with.

But my real goal through all of this is to get off medication, so I was upset after doing so well with diet, exercise and supplements, that I was adding more. As a last ditch effort I added two more things to my regimen. Slippery elm bark and smoking cigarettes. Well, after 2.5 weeks of deterioration, I made a dramatic improvement back to formed stools within 48 hours of making those two changes. Besides the occasional cigarette, I had never been a regular smoker in the past. Now, I don’t jump into this stuff lightly, obviously cigarettes carry risk, but so does remaining in a flair, adding prednisone, everything has risks. I also did a bunch of research (here’s one example http://www.lcolby.com/) and I honestly do believe that a lot of the negatives of smoking are blown out of proportion in order to push some moral agenda. I’m not saying there are no risks of course, but that is neither here nor there, fact is that I am getting results from 3-5 cigarettes a day, which is not going to be nearly as bad as 20-40 that many regular smokers use. In addition, I firmly believe that many of the health risks relate to the additives that big tobacco companies put in and/or the radioactive fertilizer they use. I currently smoke 100% organic, additive free cigarettes.

Now, do I know for sure whether it was the slippery elm or cigarettes? No, but I’ve tried a ton of supplements and I just sort of doubt that slippery elm bark created a dramatic 48 hour turnaround. I’ll be stopping the elm bark later this week since I only bought enough for one week, so that should provide a further indication.

Now you may ask, why not just use gum or e-cigs and avoid the negative effects from smoking. The answer is that I very well may at some point, but to start off with I wanted to combine the positives of carbon monoxide and nicotine, since studies have shown both to play a role in helping ulcerative colitis (the body actually naturally produces carbon monoxide and studies show it may act as an anti-inflammatory agent). Once I’m back completely under control, I can see if I can drop the cigs and just go with nicotine.

Who knows how all this will play out since this is very early, I've only been smoking for 5 days now. Maybe it was pure coincidence, maybe I’ll begin to deteriorate again and I’ll be forced on steroids at some point if the enemas don’t work (which I haven’t started yet given my recent improvements). But for now, something is working, and I’m very thankful for that. I’ll try to update this thread with my progress, I would love to hear from anyone else that has used cigarettes or nicotine successfully, especially those that had not smoked before. I’ve read most of the smoking/nicotine threads on here and find the connection fascinating.

For those desperate to avoid harsher medications or surgery, this just may be a viable option. YMMV

Oh my...

You think the dangers of smoking are blown out of proportion to push a "moral" agenda? So the CDC is just in on the conspiracy?

Please educate yourself.

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/

Sara, as far as that info you posted, that is skewed data. You have to actually dig into how those numbers are arrived at to realize it. I did an in depth read up on the actual background to those statistics and they are greatly skewed given identification bias. Fact is, lung cancer rates have been skyrocketing despite a tremendous decline in smoking over the past 20 years. Lung cancer rates in non-smokers are through the roof.

For those who want more sources. Here's another one. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/cgi/getdoc?tid=isf14d00&fmt=pdf&ref=results

If you dismiss the two links I posted without actually reading them, then you really aren't seeing both sides of the story. Its a well known fact that we've been on a mission in this country to eliminate smoking and its not too far fetched to think that some studies/analysis gets skewed to fit into a certain box.

Futhermore, ideally, smoking gets me into remission and then I maintain it with some sort of nicotine product like gum or e-cigs rather than smoking. Its not like I'm sitting here at the age of 27 thrilled that I'm starting to smoke cigarettes for basically the first time in my life, but I weighed my options.

Finally, most of the CDC and other studies that have been done are done on people that smoke 20+ a day, 3-5 cigarettes a day are going to be far less harmful. People have been smoking tobacco for 1000's of years. I actually spoke to a chiropractor that said the majority of the harm caused by cigarettes is caused by the additives, hence I buy organic, additive free. Its literally just 100% pure tobacco.

This route certainly isn't for everybody, and I'm not condoning smoking. All I'm doing is laying out the facts of my situation and the one thing that seems to be helping me. People have to weigh the risks/rewards for themselves and then make their own decision. And again, its not like I jumped into this thing blindly, I did a bunch of research on the risks of smoking (nearly 30 hours worth, the two links I posted scratch the surface), and I concluded after looking at both sides that the risks are overblown and dramatacized, ESPECIALLY for light smokers using 100% pure tobacco. That does not mean that there is zero risk to it, but hopefully this is something that can get me into remission over a couple of months and I can go back to my non smoking ways or use nicotine replacement products.

Post Edited (greenuc) : 12/27/2011 1:06:27 PM (GMT-7)

I'm glad for that you are feeling better but I have to say, I think by now most people should know that smoking is bad for you and that's a fact. Not an ideal treatment for UC, sorry.

I started using gum a few Months ago and saw improvement. However my symptoms did come back. I could just need to increase the dose but i dont seem to handle it that well. I think a more controlled dose with a patch is the best way to go. I have never smoked before

Honestly, whenever someone posts about the wonders of smoking and nicotine I just have to roll my eyes. I smoked for over 30 years and half that time I was on and off them because when I tried to quit was when I first flared. I did not have health insurance and was ignorant as to what my options might be. I quit for good in February 2008 and have dealt with flares to varying degrees (extreme:20-30 times a day with lots of blood loss) since but smoking and nicotine treatment are not options for me and not an option I would recommend to any one else. I was also told I had early stage emphysema several months prior to quitting, and I was only smoking 2-3 cigs per day by that point. Since I have quit I have not had a cold or flu once. I no longer smell, neither do my clothes or car. I had stopped smoking in my house long ago. Hopefully I will age a bit more gracefully and not have that gray wrinkly complexion smokers get. Plus I stopped smoking in front of other people long ago and basically was ashamed of being a smoker. Good luck with your new treatment:(

I'm just puzzled to the fact that your worried about taking prednisone but have no problem lighting up a cigarette. I don't get it. You say you really want to avoid those drugs but you should also really want to avoid getting lung cancer. I'm sorry but it just makes no sense to me at all. I used to smoke by the way.

Sara14 said...
Where is your data saying that long-term use of mesalamines is detrimental to our health?

Kidney problems for starters. Though I'll admit that Mesalamine has a pretty good safety profile overall (though it lacks any really long term studies).

The bigger issue is that its efficacy seems to decline over time, faster in some than others, so most eventually need to move onto riskier treatment options.

Sara, there's a smilie for that....

There's many reasons for 5ASA decline of efficacy.  I've only used it for 23 years...seems a good track record to me.

My mom and a few others I know died of lung cancer....nasty way to go suffocating slowly to death.

But, we all pick our poison.  You're early in the game greenuc...

q

I've been an avid user of ecigs for most of this year. This forum for them is great;http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/. Or contact me.

I'm a newly diagnosed UC patient as of november, so I don't know how well these will help. They are certainly less expensive than patches/gum.

As many people have done, I was off cigs almost immediately and can't imagine going back- they taste horrible now. You can easily control your nicotine intake with these also. I was down to nearly no nicotine when the UC hit and have since gone back up to an " Ultra Lights " level, but it's too early to tell if it's working for me.

I thank you all for being here and that this forum is fairly active. Alot of info and hope. Right now, I'm seeing a specialist and on Lialda DR? 1.2 GM- 2 Tabs twice daily. I also have the enemas that I haven't started yet, but will.

Right now, I'm having bloody diarrhea/soft bowels 5xdaily- down from about 7 and cramping allllllllllll day.

Again, thank you all for being here- Bob

Greenuc,
Pls keep us posted on your progress. I know people feel strongly, but I hope that won't stop you from letting us know how your experiment is going. Good luck and hope you continue to get better and better.
B

greenuc said...

Quite frankly, the more I smoke the more vile they become...I'm not exactly sure how anyone ever ends up using these things long term.

Because they're as addictive as heroin.

Everyone starts out only smoking occasionally or only a few a day. No one plans to become a lifelong pack a day smoker...smokers aren't stupid; they're addicted.

Sara14 said...

greenuc said...

Quite frankly, the more I smoke the more vile they become...I'm not exactly sure how anyone ever ends up using these things long term.

Because they're as addictive as heroin.

Everyone starts out only smoking occasionally or only a few a day. No one plans to become a lifelong pack a day smoker...smokers aren't stupid; they're addicted.

I'm sure anyone addicted to heroin would disagree. According to various posts on other forums, most that have used both substances say that heroin is far more addictive. Those that say cigarettes were more difficult to quit attribute it to the availability, cost, and the fact that it is more acceptable to smoke cigarettes than do heroin. Chemically speaking, cigarettes aren't even in the same league as heroin.

There are tons of articles out there about "Chippers that challenge the concept of addiction."
www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99690624 And clinical studies that have been done over extended time periods have found that for the most part, people who desire to remain light smokers, are able to over the long run. Most real addiction studies have shown that addiction takes a year or two of heavy smoking to set in from a physical perspective. That's not to say that they can't be psychologically addicting much earlier on, but unhealthy foods can also be psychologically addicting hence the obesity problem in this country.

I'm not trying to minimize what you've accomplished by quitting at all, but smoking 3 a day and smoking a pack a day are two completely different animals in terms of potential addiction over the long run.

Another thing I CANNOT emphasize enough is the fertilizer link to health effects from tobacco. I would never touch a non-organic cigarette even if it guaranteed lifelong remission from the disease.
altered-states.net/barry/newsletter405/tobacco.htm

Article said...
Lung cancer rates among men kept climbing from a rarity in 1930 (4/100,000 per year) to the No. 1 cancer killer in 1980 (72/100,000) in spite of an almost 20 percent reduction in smoking. But during the same period, the level of polonium-210 in American tobacco had tripled. This coincided with the increase in the use of phosphate fertilizers by tobacco growers - calcium phosphate ore accumulates uranium and slowly releases radon gas.